MPs summon businesswoman Ann Njeri in Ksh.17B oil puzzle probe

The National Assembly Energy Committee has summoned businesswoman Ann Njeri to appear before it and shed light on the Ksh.17 billion oil saga pitting her against the Ministry of Energy. 

The committee, in a letter to Njeri, says they want her to furnish the team with the country of origin of the consignment, indicators of pricing, the intended destination of the consignment, its place in the current government-to-government arrangement on oil importation, ownership and any other particulars that she would wish to share.

Njeri, through her lawyer Cliff Ombeta, has confirmed attendance, insisting that the consignment in question belongs to her and that her key witness is the Captain of the ship which has since left the country.

The businesswoman has also said she will be moving to court to file for contempt against the government which discharged the cargo despite a court order against it.

She will also be seeking compensation for the fuel and the violation of her rights after recording a statement at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters.

The summon comes after Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir dismissed Njeri’s claims of ownership of the fuel, stating that her company - Anns Import and Export Enterprises Limited - is not even listed as a licensed petroleum import company.

CS Chirchir, in the statement to newsrooms on Wednesday evening, revealed that the businesswoman’s company has not signed the open tendering system agreement hence cannot claim to have imported a diesel cargo into Kenya.

Chirchir also revealed that Njeri's company made an application for licence for import, export and wholesale of petroleum products to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) through the online portal on October 9, 2023.

The application, he disclosed, was however rejected 20 days later after evaluation as the company failed to meet the requirements.